1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and tools for removing floor covering bonded to a floor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are presently many types of floor coverings which are available and which are bonded throughout an expansive surface interface to a floor. Some of the commercially available floor coverings of this type include rotovinyls, asphalt tile, vinyl-asbestos tile and linoleum. In installing such floor coverings an adhesive is typically spread upon the floor and the floor covering is applied over the adhesive to secure the covering to the floor throughout its interface with the floor. Floor coverings of this type may be applied over different surfaces, such as wood, underlayment, concrete and other bare surfaces. Floor coverings of this type provide the floor with an attractive, decorative appearance, facilitate cleaning, and serve as a barrier to stains and other damage.
Ulitimately the surface of most floor coverings deteriorates with wear so that replacement eventually become necessary. Removal of such floor coverings, according to generally accepted techniques, is quite difficult and time consuming. According to accepted techniques of floor covering removal an old floor covering is cut into strips by a person working on his or her hands and knees. An edge of the strip is then manually pulled up by hand. However, the adhesive bond on the underside of the floor covering varies sufficiently throughout the surface of the floor so that parting of the floor covering from the underlying surface does not occur in a uniform plane. That is, patches of the floor covering are sometimes held quite fast to the floor although the surrounding floor covering is pulled up. Also, the strips of floor covering may carry with them patches of underlayment and hardened adhesive in significant thicknesses. With the conventional techniques of floor covering removal the surface remaining following removal of the floor covering is quite uneven. Patches of unremoved floor covering create bumps and elevations and cavities are created in areas where underlayment and adhesive have been removed with the floor covering.
According to conventional techniques, a floor covering is first manually cut into strips and the strips are removed from the floor. Then a workman must proceed to sand and patch the floor so as to even it out in preparation for a new floor covering to be placed thereatop. Patches and islands of the old floor covering which have theretofore resisted removal are subjected to a scraping action with a hand tool bearing a scoop-like blade. To remove the resisting patches of old floor covering it is frequently necessary to chop and hack at the sections of floor covering which remain following removal of the bulk of the floor covering. The necessary aggresive action to remove patches of old tile frequently subjects the surrounding floor area to considerable damage. Such damage is particularly extensive where the old floor covering has been laid upon a wooden floor. Wood floors are subjected to considerable gouging and scratching during tile removal using conventional tools and techniques.
Once the remaining patches of old floor covering have been removed, insofar as possible, it is necessary to fill in cavities which are left by adhesive and underlayment pulled from the surface of the floor, and by gouges and scratches resulting from the prior removal process. Cavities and gouges are filled in with a plaster-like substance. Once patching and filling have been completed, the filling compound must be allowed to dry. Thereafter, the entire floor surface must be sanded so as to provide a smooth, even, flat base for installation of a replacement floor covering. Sanding is typically performed with an electric sanding device.
Removal and replacement of a floor covering, according to conventional practice, involves hard, grueling manual labor which must be performed by a person on hands and knees. Furthermore, the removal process and the subsequent patching and filling is extremely time consuming and contributes very significantly to the cost of replacing a covering for a floor.
A further disadvantage with conventional techniques for floor covering removal arises from the fact that some floor coverings employ asbestos backings. It is now well known that sanding a surface covered with asbestos produces a significant health hazard to those performing the sanding operation, and to anyone else in the immediate vicinity. It is thought that individuals who breathe airborne asbestos fibers produced by sanding an asbestos covered surface may be exposed to an increased likelihood of contracting cancer.